抽籤抽中了基士的兒子掃羅 Saul Chosen to Be King Publicly by Lot at Mizpah
撒母耳記上 1 Samuel 10:17-10:27
How biblical is casting lots? 巧合或成功是否足以証明神的心意？ 怎樣尋求神的心意？
CASE STUDIES – How biblical is casting lots?
- A: Actually a friend was just asking me about that this week. My answer is that casting lots is NOT Biblical now. While this was commonly done in Old Testament Days and during the early part of the New Testament, it is no longer the way we determine God's will. People during that period of time didn't have the Holy Spirit, a completed Bible nor a personal relationship with God. We have (or can have) all of these by placing our trust in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior from sin. With the Holy Spirit and the Bible to guide us we do not need to cast lots, lay out fleeces, or draw straws to determine God's will for us. In fact, doing so might be considering "tempting" the Lord which we are cautioned not to do.
- B: Casting lots is very "Biblical". It is documented in the Bible many times in various ways, from choosing to throw Jonah overboard to choosing a replacement for Judas. But, now we can talk to God directly as long as Jesus is in charge of our life. No longer is it necessary to find a prophet or a priest. We can now each be a member of the holy priesthood. It is very dangerous to use a die or dice or a fleece or short straw or any of the like to make a decision. Personally, I would even go so far as to say that now that God is so readily available--even inside you as the Holy Spirit--- that casting lots for decision making is turning your back on God!
“再抽籤抽中了基士的兒子掃羅。” (1Samuel 17-27) (purple)
- Who initiated the lot casting act? Were the results expected? In what ways did God involved?
- Can you suggest any good reasons why the act of “casting lots” is used in this passage?
- The word "lots" appears 70 times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. The casting of lots was a custom widely practised in the ancient Near East but the precise method is unclear. Are there any other occasions described in the Bible involving “casting lots”?
- (Matthew 27:35) "When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots."
- (Joel 3:3) And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
- (Obadiah 1:11) In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou [wast] as one of them.
- (Nahum 3:10) Yet [was] she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.
- Others – (Job 6:27); (Ps 22:18).
IN DIVINATION (yellow) – was it descriptive or prescriptive?
- (Eze 21:21-22) "For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver. Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works."
TO SET A DATE (blue) – was it descriptive or prescriptive?
- (Esther 3:7) "In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast the pur (that is, the lot) in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar."
TO SETTLE DISPUTES (orange) – was it about fairness?
- (Pr 18:18) "Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart."
- (1Chronicles 26:13) And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their fathers, for every gate.
GETTING A DECISION FROM GOD (green) – was human activities not involved at all?
- (Lev.16:8-10) This refers to the casting of lots by Aaron for the two goats--one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat.
- (Joshua 18:6-10) This was when Joshua cast lots for the disbursement of the land portions, except for the Levites, because their priestly service of the LORD is their inheritance.
- (1Sam 14:41-42) Saul prayed to the LORD, and said, "Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son."
- (Jonah 1:7) "The sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah".
- (Acts 1:26) When the apostles met after Jesus ascended to heaven they determined who would replace Judas by casting lots: "Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles."
THE DECISION IS FROM THE LORD
- (Pr 16:33) "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD."
For discussions after going through the various “lot casting” passages:
- Do you agree with their perspectives mentioned in the CASE STUDIES?
- How can we distinguish “God’s will” from “coincidence” or “pragmatic argument”?
- How to listen to God’s voice? Invite the participants to share their perspectives.
- Do you want to step up to your calling? Have you tried using your talents?
- Optional tough question: Did God choose Saul or was he chosen merely as requested by the Israelites? Reference: (Hint: Genesis 49:8-12)
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